


Ashes. Ashes. We All Fall Down.

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Series: Suilad Aran Thranduil [18]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: BoFA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2014-12-17
Packaged: 2018-03-01 21:25:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2788289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He needs to get away.</p><p>One day he will listen to his father. One day he will accept that his father does know better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ashes. Ashes. We All Fall Down.

**Author's Note:**

> Omfg. Omfg. I saw BOFA, like 6 days ago, but whatever. And okay, so I am a little angry at a lot of things but I'm going to get over that. Because I have this headcanon that all the Tauriel stuff was just so that Bilbo and Thorin's relationship could sneak in under the radar. So... yeah.  
> Anyway. I've kind of been kidnapped by Thranduil, and I don't think he's going to let me go until all the angstyness from the movie has abated. :/ So, I have a few (a lot) of random drabbley/one-shot things to put here. Hmm.  
> Anyway. Enjoy. And if you haven't seen the movie yet, don't be a douchebag. Is not my fault if you spoil things for yourself.

This is his first real taste of war. His first real taste. The blood of his friends mingling with the blood of his enemies. Their bodies laid over each other. This one died crying. This one died screaming. This one was dead before he knew what hit him. It is too much.

_“You know nothing of war, my child. You are young and naïve. You are stupid. You think a victory against a nest of spiders makes you a warrior? You think surviving a few battalion of orcs makes you a soldier? You've seen a small handful of your friends die before you and you think you know war? You know nothing.”_

So many dead. So many _dying._ For what?

 _“No warrior marches to war thinking he will return home. No soldier kisses his loved ones goodbye and_ believes  _when he tells them he will return. No soldier. Not a single one. They hope. They hope and they pray, but they do not_  believe. _You know nothing of war.”_

His father had tried to warn him, many times. Many times when he had been young and eager for blood. Many times when he had argued and fought and sworn he was just as much a warrior as his father. He was wrong.

 _"There are no words, Legolas, none. There are no words for the sense of loss that permeates the air in the aftermath of a battle. Victory, and it tastes_  so much _like_ defeat _. Victory, and it does not mean_  peace _. Victory, and the blood never comes out. Victory, and that is your friend over there, dead, and you couldn't save him. Victory, and that is your wife over there, dead, and you couldn't save her. Victory, and that is your_ son _over there, and though he still lives, though he still draws breath through his lungs, he is_  broken, _you couldn't save him either._   _Victory, and it does not dull the ache in your chest. Victory, and your hands won’t stop shaking. Victory, and you can’t tell if the wetness on your face is from tears or from blood or both. Victory, and there are bodies upon bodies. Victory, and there are graves upon graves and you want to ask where yours is because_  surely _t_ _hey don’t expect you to just_ walk away _from this like it_  never _happened, surely they can’t be expecting you to just_  turn around _and_  walk away _like you_ _aren't_  leaving behind _these people that you_  love _._ You think you know war, ion nin, you've never even met it.”

He needs to get away.

One day he will listen to his father. One day he will accept that his father does know better.


End file.
